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Historical Stories: Ancient People's Sincerit
During the Song Dynasty, there were two brothers surnamed Zhang in the Changhua area. Neither of them was able to have children. Later, the older brother and his wife adopted a child from their relatives. Shortly afterwards, the wife gave birth to their own child.
Another World in a Drop of Water: Flowing Water and Still Water
The property of water is dependent on its source. People knew a lot about water in ancient China. An idiom we often use is "water from the Jing River and the Wei River are completely different." It is said to be easy to identify the water's source at the junction of the Jing River and the Wei River. Water from the Jing River is muddy, while water from the Wei River is clear. Although water from the two rivers amalgamate, the boundary between them is quite clear.
Major Events in the History of Daoism
The history of Daoism - like Daoism itself - is not easy to pin down. In part this is because the religion consists of various lineages, practices and streams of influence: some formal/institutional, others informal; some interwoven or overlapping, others developing quite independently from one another. Such an interweaving is, not surprisingly, consistent with Daoism's recognition and celebration of the kaleidoscopic patterns of change that define natural as well as social/political terrains. While certain practices (defining specific schools or lineages) have been transmitted through the...
Confucian Virtue and Music: A Structure of Harmony
"If a man lack the human virtues, what has he to do with ritual? If a man lacks the human virtues, what has he to do with music (Brians)?" To Confucius, music and human virtue worked much like gears turning in a finely tuned mechanism. Like the cogs of a machine grabbing each other and propelling each gear forward, human virtue cannot move forward without music. Similarly, one can't move forward as a musician or student of music without the virtues of Confucianism. In this paper I will examine the relationship between music and Confucius teachings and the extreme impact that music has had...
Confucian Responses to Buddhism Throughout Chinese History
Throughout Chinese History, there are numerous Confucian responses to Buddhism. The rebirth of Confucianism, or Neo-Confucianism, was welcomed by an age where Buddhism was of immense practice and most of was in large part a reflection of Buddhism influence. So the rebirth of Confucian beliefs was to be challenged by Buddhist precedents, which called for Confucians to speak out against the Buddhism and respond to their presence in . Buddhist, in turn, then responded to the attacks placed against them in a matter that seemed to be extremely the result of cause and reaction.
The Development and Features of Chinese Philosophy
"Misfortunes of a nation may turn out to be fortunes of a philosopher" - this may summarize ancient Chinese philosophers and their work.
The Yin Yang Symbol
This is a well known Taoist symbol. "It represents the balance of opposites in the universe. When they are equally present, all is calm. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray." One source explains that it was derived from astronomical observations which recorded the shadow of the sun throughout a full year. 5 The two swirling shapes inside the symbol give the impression of change -- the only constant factor in the universe. One tradition states that Yin (or Ying; the dark side) represents the breath that formed the earth. Yang (the light side) symbolizes the...
What Taoists Believe
A 2,500-plus-year-old spiritual practice, Taoism (not unlike Zen) is like a "finger pointing at the moon." That is, Taoism states that words are just a sign to point to the nonconceptual ultimate reality. It is of value to not obsess over the conceptual pointer but to see the ultimate reality clearly.
Taoist Concepts, Beliefs And Practices
Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life. "The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment." Each believer's goal is to harmonize themselves with the Tao. Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. The two traditions have coexisted in the country, region, and generally within the same individual.
Ancient Chinese Dharma Seekers
There are both naturalistic and normative aspects to the concept of dharma. The naturalistic meaning is that of necessary attribute such as in the statement, "the dharma of water is to flow". The normative meaning, which is the one most often used, is of a duty or a path to be followed, and it is said to come from and to rest upon the naturalistic meaning.